1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an article of manufacture. More specifically, this invention relates to a device in the form of a fishing lures, or in the form of an accessory to a fishing lure, which includes a dischargeable fish attractant.
2. Background of Invention
Artificial lures have long been used to attract and catch fish. Although the effectiveness of fishing lures traditionally depends upon their appearance and action in the water, some prior art lures include a dischargeable attractant to further improve their performance. More particularly, as such a lure is drawn through water, the attractant is discharged and disperses through the water, increasing the likelihood that nearby fish will strike the lure.
The following patents are representative of such prior art:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,328 (to Goldman, issued Jan. 24, 1989) discloses a bobber consisting of a lower and upper part; the lower part being a fish attractant receptacle that contains water receiving and discharging ports through which the attractant is released. The amount of attractant flowing through the ports is affected by two means. First, the receptacle contains a sponge-like material which receives the attractant. The water flowing through the ports slowly extracts the attractant from the sponge-like material, lengthening the time interval between attractant applications, and as a consequence, the amount of attractant used. Second, the size of the water receiving and discharging ports are variable thereby controlling the amount of water introduced into the bobber, and the amount of attractant being released.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,907 (to Gibbs, issued Dec. 26, 1989) discloses a fishing lure for controllably discharging an attractant. The lure includes a lure body, an attractant-receiving device, and an attractant discharge control device. The attractant-receiving device is designed to receive and discharge the attractant and is positionable in the lure body. The attractant discharge control device is designed to control the discharge of attractant from the attractant-receiving device, to which it is coupled. In one of the Gibbs embodiments, the lure includes a lure body, a storage device coupled to the lure body for pressurizing the attractant, and a device for controlling the discharge of pressurized attractant from the storage device. Alternatively, the lure can be described as including a lure body, an attractant-receiving device positionable in the lure body for receiving and discharging attractant, and an attractant discharge control device coupled to the attractant-receiving device for controlling the discharge of attractant from the receiving device in a manner that is non-responsive to interaction of the lure with a fish.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,811 (to Freeman, issued Sep. 1, 1992) discloses a fishing lure comprising a body of appropriate configuration (e.g., a worm, night crawler, or shape of other live bait) and including an elongated passage extending through the body. The passage receives a tubular casing or sleeve having a bore with an open leading end and an open trailing end. A length of fish line (e.g., nylon leader) is received in the bore through the open leading end. A hook includes a shank portion received in the bore through the open trailing end and connected to the fish line in the bore. An optional retainer member, such as a retainer bead or ball, can be slidably mounted on the line proximate the open leading end of the bore so as ear thereagainst to bias the open trailing end against the hook when the lure is pulled through the water. The size/shape of the retainer member can be selected to partially close off the pen leading end of the bore to meter flow of water therethrough in given manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,551 (to Prochnow, et al., issued Oct. 27, 1998) discloses an attractant formulation for use on fishing lures that is easy to apply, withstands repeated exposures to casting forces and resists removal when a lure coated therewith is fished. The attractant formulations comprise: (a) a stable water-in-oil emulsion made of petrolatum jelly, a water soluble delivery agent, a thickening agent, and (b) a water soluble fish attractant. The attractant formulation is capable of adhering to the exterior surface of artificial lures while allowing the active attractant ingredient to be released slowly into the water. The formulations are also in the form of a soft gel that is easily applied to the surface of a lure by dunking the lure in a wide-mouthed container or squeezing the gel from a conventional container
As is evident from the abbreviated listing and discussion of relevant prior art noted above, there exists a variety of different lures or different attractants that have been used to increase the effectiveness of fishing lures in this manner. More specifically, solid and liquid attractants have been employed, depending upon a variety of factors, including the technique used to discharge the attractant and the conditions under which the lure will be used. The manner in which attractants enhance the desirability of the lure to fish has also varied. For example, scented attractants have been used to stimulate the sense of smell in fish near the lure. Many natural and synthetic products, including fish oils and anise, can be used as scented attractants. Other attractants have also been used to make the lure more visually appealing to nearby fish. For example, colored liquid can be discharged from the fishing lure to attract the attention of nearby fish.
Like the different attractants, a variety of different methods have been employed to couple the attractant to the fishing lure. For example, the exterior of an artificial lure, such as a plastic worm, is sometimes treated with a scented attractant to improve the lure""s effectiveness. This treatment is typically performed by dipping a portion or the entirety of the lure in a quantity of a liquid attractant. Alternatively, where the surface of the lure includes a plurality of small cavities, solid attractant can be applied to the lure""s exterior and compacted in the cavities, allowing at least some of the scented material to disperse through the water.
As an alternative to the use of an attractant on the lure""s exterior, various approaches have been developed for discharging attractant from the interior of the lure. For example, hollow lures have been designed for receiving scented solids or scented liquids in a solid matrix. Such lures include a plurality of small openings between the interior and exterior of the lure, allowing water to flow through the lure and disperse at least some of the scented material.
In other embodiments, a liquid attractant is stored in a chamber controllably coupled to a fishing line attached to the lure. The fishing line is connected to a mechanism for controlling the volume of the chamber, an outlet of the chamber, or both. By applying tension to the fishing line, the outlet of the chamber can be opened and its volume reduced, thereby discharging attractant to the surrounding water.
Although each of these prior art arrangements enhances lure performance, they suffer a number of disadvantages. For example, when the exterior of the lure is provided with attractant, the fisherman typically has no control over the rate or manner of attractant dispersion. This is particularly true when solid attractant is applied to the exterior of the lure because the attractant may easily be dislodged by the force of the water against the lure or by a fish biting or xe2x80x9cstrikingxe2x80x9d the lure. The use of a solid attractant inside a hollow, perforated lure body also provides the fisherman with little control over the attractant""s discharge rate. The fisherman can only select different attractants and place varying amounts of attractant inside the lure body.
Similarly, embodiments that employ line tension to control the discharge of liquid attractants are inadequate. More particularly, when a fish strikes the lure, the tension in the line will increase, discharging attractant. The occurrence and duration of this discharge is both beyond the fisherman""s control and unnecessary, given that the fish has already struck.
In view of the above analysis of the prior art, it would be desirable to provide a fishing lure that can discharge attractant at a controlled rate not dependent, for example, upon line tension or fish interaction. It would be particularly desirable to provide such a lure allowing the discharge of attractant to be controlled in an adjustable manner by the fisherman.
It is the object of this invention to remedy the above as well as related deficiencies in the prior art.
More specifically, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a device for dispensing an attractant to lure fish which is activated by the fisherman without elaborate or complex means.
It is another object of this invention to provide a device for dispensing an attractant to lure fish which is integral in a fishing lure.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a device for dispensing an attractant to lure fish which is independent of a fishing lure.
Additional objects of this invention include the use of one or more of the devices of this invention, alone or in combination, in a method for attracting fish.
The above and related objects are achieved by providing a device for dispensing an attractant relative to a fish lure which is activated by the fisherman incidental to his trolling for fish. The device of this invention comprises a hollow body within which is effectively sealed a fish attractant. The chamber includes means for containment of fish attractant in the form of a liquid that can be dispensed therefrom by abrupt movement of the chamber in response to fisherman directed movement of a line attached to the device. In one of the preferred embodiments of this invention, the attractant dispensing device of this invention is in the form of a fishing lure (FIG. 1). In another of the preferred embodiments of this invention, the attractant dispensing device of this invention is in the form of a accessory that can be placed in proximity to a fishing lure (FIG. 3).